SELECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF PARLOPw PLANTS. 279 



ment will materially differ. The various genera of plants 

 require great care in the winter season from the difference 

 of heat in the room through the day and night. In the 

 day plants should receive a due portion of light and air. 

 To make them thrive in a room as healthful as if kept in 

 the green-house, light, air, and judicious watering, are 

 necessary. 



Plants in a room should be kept as near the glass as 

 possible in the winter, and the pots kept clear of dead 

 leaves, and be turned round once a week, at least, to pre- 

 serve uniformity in appearance, or the plants will turn to 

 the light, growing one-sided and unsightly in their appear- 

 ance. Then, again, it will be important in mild weather 

 to have the windows raised between 10 o'clock in the morn- 

 ing and 3 in the afternoon, and plants should have the bene- 

 fit of the morning sun if possible. If the plants by acci- 

 dent get frosted, the sun should be excluded from them 

 until it is entirely out of the plant. The frost will not 

 injure some plants, while others would be entirely 

 destroyed. In a room, where plants are kept in the 

 winter, the air should never be below freezing point, 

 (32 Fahrenheit's thermometer), and if possible not over 

 45. Uniformity in this particular is best, but is seldom 

 attained in sitting rooms ; the difference being greater 

 through the day than the night, which of itself is enough 

 to injure their appearance. 



The watering of plants is seldom attended to properly. 

 This is one of the most essential points in Floriculture. 

 From November to March plants should be watered in the 

 morning about 10 o'clock, and the water should be of a 



